Dilator for fingers of the hand



=(N0 Model.) 1 ,M R. A. LUGGHESI.

DILATOR FOR FINGERS OF THE HAND.

No. 602,191. Patented Apr. 12,1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

RICHARD A. LUCCHESI, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

DILATOR FOR FINGERS OF THE HAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,191, dated April12, 1898.

Application filed August '7, 1396- To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD A. LuooHEsI, of the city and county of SanFrancisco, in the State of California, have invented a new and usefulDilator, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, effectual, andinexpensive device by means of which pianists, organists, and players ofall stringed musical instruments may stretch the ligaments of theirfingers to make them limber and supple preparatory to beginning either aprivate exercise or a public performance.

The importance, or rather necessity, of developing the freedom of thehand and finger muscles is too well understood and felt among musiciansto be demonstrated here. It is commonly known that the compositions ofLiszt, for example, require great stretches of the fingers,beeause theycontain compounded chords of many notes distributed with large gaps. Thestudent who is not yet able to play pieces of such scope and wishes tomaster them needs mechanical help in order to acquire promptly thatcommand over his fingers which is necessary to gain the desired end, andit is only with help of this nature that he can hope to save the longtime usually consumed in practicing wearisome exercises on the keyboardor finger-board, often with meager success. As to public performers orprofessional players they also are at times more or less wanting innimbleness of the hand and will find it to their advantage to use adilator, in order to properly loosen their fingers by spreading themwell apart and keeping them in a distended position, a few minutesbefore giving their concerts.

Referring now to the drawings hereunto annexed for a detaileddescription of my said invention,Figure 1 is a perspective view showingmy improved dilator in its most common form, the same being adapted forstretching the four fingers of the hand. Fig. 2 represents a varied formthat may be given particularly to the central stretcher forming part ofsaid dilator. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a dilator of similarconstruction to that shown at Fig. 1, but provided with an attachmentfor stretching the thumb at the same time as the Serial No, 603,079. (Nomodel.)

fingers. Fig. etis a broken elevation showing part of the dilator with adifferent form of thumb-stretcher. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of afinger-stretcher having concave sides. Fig. 6 is a plan of a dilator ofmodified construction. Fig. 7 is a plan showing a modified' form of slotfor the ends of the stretcherholding plates. Fig. 8 is a front view ofthe construction illustrated at Fig. 6.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the said eightfigures.

A A A represent three distending objects or bodies, which may be callecexpanders or stretchers, and are of a size and form adapting them to beinserted between the four fingers of the hand. The said objects orbodies may be eitherhollow or solid, according to the nature of thematerial of which they are composed, but they are preferably made eachin one piece. Most any light material may be used for making themsuch asaluminium, cork, wood, celluloid, (be. As to their shape, it is easierto make them cylindrical-that is to say, give them the form of rollers,such as are represented in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 6,and 8although they admit ofseveral variations in this respect, as suggested by Figs. 2 and 5. ThusFig. 2 shows a stretcher or expander which is oval in cross-section, andFig. 5 one having concave sides. These different forms and others thatcould be named have all their peculiar merit, and I do not confine myinvention to any particular one among them, my aim being to use alwaysthe best form for any particular shape of hand or fingers and thereforeto suit the form to the case in all instances.

The three stretchers or expanders aforesaid are united by means of twoslightly-curved plates 13 B, which are placed, respectively, upon theirtop and bottom and to which they are connected by pins or screws a a aprojecting from their upper and lower ends and passed through saidplates. The central stretcher is by preference set in a fixed positionin the ordinary form of dilator that is, so as not to move eitherlaterally or upon its axis-and its pins or screws a are tightlyfitted insmall holes of the plates B B to obtain this result. On the other hand,the outer stretchers are capable of both these movements,

their pins or screws a a being loosely fitted and adapted to slide andturn in slots 1) I), provided for them in the ends of the plates at ashort distance on each side of the central stretcher. Thus arranged theouter stretchers are movable to and from the central one, and areconsequently self-adjustin g when i11- serted between the fingers of thehand to spread them apart, as hereinafter described.

The finger-stretchers and plates above mentioned constitute a completedilator for ordinary use; but the same may be supplemented by a thumbstretcher whenever desired. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate two forms of such.That represented in Fig. 3 consists of a halfring or crescent-shapedpiece A connected by a swivel-joint to one end of a bar or plate Bpivotally secured to the upper side of the plate B and arranged to foldthereover. The other thumb-stretcher (shown in Fig. 4) consists of afull ring A fastened to one end of a spiral spring B the other end ofwhich is attached to a double hook B having inwardlybent ends 0 bengaging suitable holes in the ends of the plates 13 B, as shown.

Figs. (3 and 8 illustrate a dilator made substantially on the sameprinciple as that hereinbefore described, but having special means formoving the outer stretchers in and out relatively to the middle one.fied form of dilator the pins or screws to a of the outer stretchers arenot allowed to play within slots of the plates, as in the other case,but are fitted in small holes, like the pins or screws a of the centralstretcher, and the plates B B are made each in two sections overlappingone another and interconnected by pins and slots U, which permit thelongitudinal motion of one section upon the other and consequently thelateral motion of the outer stretchers. The several plate-sections areseparately connected besides with the In this modimiddle stretcher bymeans of eccentric pins i c a engaging slots 1) Zr, formed in saidsections. It will now be seen that owing to this arrangement the outerstretchers can be readily moved sidewise to and from the central;stretcher by merely turning the latter, so as l to cause the eccentricpins to shift the plate- 5 sections endwise. The movement of the outerstretchers is thus rendered positive and can be regulated to produce theproper degree of j distention.

In Fig. 7 is shown a modified form of slot; 1) for dilators made afterthe mode illustrated l at Figs. 1 and 3.

This slot is indented or;

stretchers instead of their outward movement.

My improved dilator is to be used according to the following directions:Take the in- -1 school which demand great stretches.

strument with its inwardly-curved face toward you and place the middlestretcher between the second and third fingers, at the same time runningthe first and little fingers outside the outer stretchers. Push verygently the several stretchers between the various fingers as far as theywill go, pressing on the outer stretchers, not the middle one. Take carenot to force the ligaments nor to expand the muscles unduly or beyondwhat nature would endure. See that the upper and lower plates arerespectively parallel with the upper and lower sides of the hand andthat the fingers rest against the central part of the stretchers. Keepthe dilator on at first no longer than one minute at a time. Apply theinstrument often and especially before undertaking the daily mechanicalstudy. Time will allow the dilator to be pushed farther down and heldlonger, indicating thus the good result obtained. The application of thethumb-stretcher scarcely needs description. If using a thumb-stretcherof the kind illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanyin g drawings, simplyswing out the pivoted plate or bar 13 into the position represented insaid figure and turn the half-rin g on its swivel, so that the thumb maybe brought to bear squarely against it. If using a thumbstretcher of thetype shown at Fig. 1-, insert the thumb into the ring and let it pull onthe spring. To remove the instrument, first disengage the thumb, if athumb-stretcher be used. Then take hold of the stretcher that liesbetween the third and fourth fingers and pull it out gently, withdrawingthe little finger first and the others afterward, thus freeing the handand relaxing all the muscles.

The hereinabeve-described dilator is suitable for hands of all sizes andmay be conveniently carried in the pocket. If a thumbstretcher beemployed, it can be folded or detached after use, as will be readilyunderstood, so that the instrument is compact and portable in whicheverway it is made. The instrument being thus always at ones command can beapplied whenever and wherever required. Its use will be found to bequite beneficial,espeeially to those whose time for practice is limited,as it will do away with tedious exercises and greatly facilitate theexecution of pieces belonging to the modern In short, it is invaluableto all who have to play on the piano, or organ or Violin, or other keyedor stringed instruments, and, generally speaking, to virtuosi andstudents of music throughout the world.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is

1. A dilator consisting of parallel plates having suitable holes andslots, objects or bodies upon which the fingers are stretched and whichare located between said plates and having pins passed through the holesand slots therein, and an object or body upon IIO which the thumb isstretched detachably coned to be slipped between the fingers, and ofplates having holes and slots in which the ends of the rollers areplaced, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature [5 in presence of twowitnesses.

RICHARD A. LUCOHESI. WVitnesses:

A. H. STE. MARIE, HENRY P. TRICOU.

i It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 602,191, grantedApril 12, 1898, upon the application of Richard A. Lucchesi, of SanFrancisco, California, for an improvement in Dilators for Fingers of theHand, an error appears in the printed specification requiringcorrection, as follows: In line 18, page 3, the Word rollers 1 shouldread dis-tenders; and that the said Letters Patent should be read withthis correction therein that the same may conform to the record of thecase in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned and sealed this 9th day of April, A. D., 1901.

l [SEAL] I F. L. CAMPBELL,

' Assistant Secretary of the Interior. 1 Oountersigned:

F. I. ALLEN,

1 Commissioner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 602,191.

